Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry is saying that there is no clear-cut favorite for the full-time managerial position starting next season, according to ESPNChicago.com's Bruce Levine. Hendry recently talked with minor league manager Ryne Sandberg, but did not designate the talk as a formal interview for the position.

Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry told The Associated Press it was too early to project whether the Cubs would sell at the July 31 trade deadline or acquire more pieces toward a National League Central title run. "We're not 17 back, we're 7 1/2. I like to think these guys know the spot we're in," Hendry said. "You can't defend how we've played. We just have to fight our way out of it."

Updating a previous item, The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan reports Chicago Cubs general manager Jim Hendry does not believe he is "on the clock", a euphemism for being on the hot seat. "I don't ever feel any different about that," Hendry said. "I put a lot of pressure on myself. We've had real good years, and we've had not-good years. We had it going really good in the right direction and this year had a hiccup."

Carrie Muskat, of MLB.com, reports the Chicago Cubs are not opposed to the idea of letting 1B Derrek Lee (quadriceps) be added to the United States' roster for the 2009 World Baseball Classic, according to general manager Jim Hendry. Lee has not played since Monday, March 16, because he is nursing a sore right quadriceps. He is hitting just .179 in 10 spring games.